2 Penn State defensive standouts accept invites to Senior Bowl

STATE COLLEGE — Two top Penn State defensive players accepted invitations to the Reese’s Senior Bowl, which means they’ll have the chance to receive extra evaluation from NFL teams during the pre-draft process next year.

Nittany Lions safety Jaquan Brisker and defensive end/linebacker Jesse Luketa accepted their invites, the Senior Bowl announced, to participate in the event, which is scheduled for Feb. 5, 2022, in Mobile, Ala.

The Senior Bowl is an annual postseason all-star game featuring draft-eligible seniors. The two teams are coached by NFL staffs, and there is significant representation from all 32 teams for practices and the game.

Brisker, a Gateway graduate, accepted an invite to the 2021 Senior Bowl before he elected to return to Penn State for his extra season of eligibility granted by the NCAA because of the coronavirus pandemic. He was already considered to be a draftable player a year ago, but Brisker has boosted his stock in 2021.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Pittsburgh native has 48 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, four pass breakups, one quarterback hit and one fumble recovery this season. The team captain has shown a knack for big plays in big spots, like his interception at Wisconsin in the season opener, and he has been a key leader for the Lions this season.

Brisker was ranked as the No. 3 safety available in the 2022 NFL Draft in the latest rankings from ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.

The 6-foot-3, 247-pound Luketa is an interesting case for draft evaluators. After spending his first three seasons at Penn State as a linebacker, Luketa moved this summer to defensive end, where he made his share of splash plays. At the same time, Luketa still retained the versatility to move back to linebacker when needed.

The Ottawa, Ontario, native has 47 tackles, six tackles for loss, a half-sack, one interception and five quarterback hits this season. The Senior Bowl should provide a prime opportunity for scouts and evaluators to determine his fit at the next level.

Luketa was ranked as the No. 8 outside linebacker prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft in the latest rankings from ESPN NFL draft analyst Todd McShay.

Entering the 2021 season, nine Penn State players, including Brisker and Luketa, were named to the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see more familiar names on the invite list over the next few days and weeks.